Pretreatment of milk thistle seed to increase the silymarin yield: an alternative to petroleum ether defatting

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) seed meal is extracted for the flavonolignans, silychristin, silydianin, silybinin A, silybinin B, isosilybinin A and isosilybinin B, which are collectively known as the silymarin complex. To obtain the flavonolignans, the meal is usually treated with successive washes of petroleum ether to remove the lipids, followed by extraction of the flavonolignans with ethanol. This work examines the possible replacement of petroleum ether and ethanol by water or other aqueous solutions in these processes. To replace petroleum ether, pretreatments with 1.2% NaOH (w/w), 1.5% H2SO4 (w/w), 2% NaHCO3 (w/w), 0.14% cellulase and water were investigated. Of these pretreatments, 1.5% H2SO4 and water produced similar flavonolignan yields as petroleum ether. Results established that pretreating the milk thistle seed meal with 1.5% H2SO4 (w/w) at 50 degrees C for 18 h could replace the petroleum ether pretreatment. In addition, it was shown that similar amounts of flavonolignan could be recovered with a 1.5% H2SO4/water (100 degrees C) extraction as with a petroleum ether/ethanol extraction. Although cellulase pretreatment was not examined extensively, significant advances in cellulase effectiveness and cost have occurred in the past few years by companies such as Genencor International and Novozymes. These advances should help to make enzyme use for cellulose conversion, as well as extraction pretreatment, technically and economically feasible.     

不同植物药提取物对灵芝细胞生长和胞内三萜产物形成的影响

研究了不同植物药的水提和醇提物对灵芝深层发酵过程中菌丝量和胞内三萜产量的影响。将不同植物药的水提物和醇提物分别加入到发酵基础培养基中,培养7d后检测灵芝生物量和胞内三萜含量。结果表明,金银花和枸杞子水提物添加浓度为100mg/L时,可促进灵芝细胞的生长（p＜0.05）。连翘水提物对灵芝生长和胞内三萜的形成都有显著促进作用,当连翘水提物浓度为400mg/L时,胞内三萜产量从对照的（192.54±8.99）mg/L提高到（302.52±3.79）mg/L。金银花和枸杞子醇提物浓度为200mg/L时能显著促进灵芝细胞生长;枸杞子醇提物在同样浓度下还能促进灵芝胞内三萜的形成。但板蓝根和银杏叶水提物和醇提物都对灵芝的细胞生长和胞内三萜形成有较强的抑制作用。     

Batch solvent extraction of flavanolignans from milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertner)

Seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertner) contain silymarins and ca. 25% (w/w) of oil. A pre-treatment step involving refluxing with petroleum ether is usually performed before extraction of the silymarins using organic solvents. This paper compares the extraction of whole and defatted milk thistle seeds in various solvents as a function of temperature. The extraction of whole seeds of milk thistle with water at 50, 70 and 85 degrees C was also examined: the yield of silymarin increased with increasing water temperature. In most cases, ethanol at 60 degrees C recovered the largest quantities of silymarins. However, boiling water proved to be an efficient extraction solvent for the more polar silymarins such as taxifolin and silychristin, even when using whole seeds. Extractions of defatted seed meal with boiling ethanol returned maximum yields of 0.62, 3.89, 4.04, and 6.86 mg/g defatted seed of taxifolin, silychristin, silybinin A and silybinin B, respectively. When extracting defatted seed meal with ethanol, yields of taxifolin, silybinin A and silybinin B were, respectively, 6.8-, 0.95-, 1.7- and 1.6-fold higher than when extracting whole seeds. When extracting with boiling water, the yields of silychristin, silybinin A, and silybinin B were 380, 47 and 50% higher for whole seeds compared with defatted seeds.     

几种昆虫水提和醇提物对灵芝深层发酵生产多糖的影响

研究了几种昆虫的水提物和醇提物对灵芝深层发酵生产菌体和多糖的影响。结果表明,松毛虫水提物在剂量为30mg/L时,能促进灵芝菌体的生长,生物量从15.23±0.53g/L提高到16.26±0.67g/L。其它昆虫提取物对灵芝菌体的生长无显著影响,其中斑蝥提取物表现出明显的抑制作用。对灵芝多糖产量的影响试验表明,蜣螂水提物在剂量为50mg/L时,能显著提高灵芝胞内多糖的产量,产值从1.93±0.09g/L提高到2.34±0.13g/L;地鳖虫醇提物在剂量为55mg/L,以及松毛虫醇提物在剂量为35mg/L时,对胞内多糖的生产也具有促进作用。此外,蜣螂醇提物在剂量为20mg/L时,对胞外多糖的生产具有促进作用,产量从520.3±20.2g/L提高到589.5±24.1mg/L。结果提示药用昆虫中含有促进灵芝多糖生物合成的功能因子。     

泽泻汤提取物三萜类化学成分分析及其抗非酒精性脂肪肝作用研究

目的:对泽泻汤不同极性溶剂提取物三萜类化学成分进行定性分析并探究其对非酒精性脂肪肝的干预作用。方法:制备泽泻汤水及95%乙醇提取物,利用超高效液相色谱串联高分辨质谱技术对三萜类成分进行定性鉴别,并比较两种提取物中三萜类化合物数量及含量差异。采用油酸诱导的HepG2细胞脂肪累积模型评价泽泻汤不同极性提取物干预非酒精性脂肪肝的能力。结果:在泽泻汤中共鉴定20个三萜类色谱峰,水提取物中鉴定出14个三萜类成分,其中16-oxo-alisol A相对含量最高,95%乙醇提取物中鉴定出16个三萜类成分,alisol B 23-acetate相对含量最高。两提取物均能显著降低细胞中的脂肪累积量,且乙醇提取物表现出更强的抑制细胞内脂肪累积的作用。结论:泽泻汤水及95%乙醇提取物中三萜类化合物数量和含量存在差异,两种提取物均具有潜在抗非酒精性脂肪肝作用,且乙醇提取物活性更强,研究结果为泽泻汤进一步的药效物质基础及药理活性研究提供了基础。     

花脸香蘑菌丝体提取物的体外抗氧化活性

分别测定花脸香蘑Lepista sordida发酵菌丝体不同浓度乙醇溶剂提取液在4种抗氧化模型中的抗氧化作用。结果表明, 各种菌丝体提取液对二苯基苦味酰基苯肼自由基(·DPPH)和羟自由基(·OH)均有显著的清除作用, 其清除作用随着乙醇溶剂浓度的提高而降低: 在3 g/L菌丝生药浓度时, 去离子水提取物对DPPH自由基和羟自由基的清除率分别为90.55%和81.9%; 在6 g/L菌丝生药浓度时, 50%乙醇和70%乙醇提取物对DPPH自由基的清除率分别为53.7%和45.2%, 对羟自由基的清除率分别为79.4%和78.4%。各菌丝提取物也具有极强的抗脂质过氧化能力, 在5 g/L菌丝生药浓度64 h内, 水提物、50%乙醇和70%乙醇提取物对亚油酸过氧化物的抑制率分别为100%、96%和89.2%。在一定浓度下, 各提取液对邻苯三酚自氧化也均有抑制作用。     

Rice callus extracts for enhancing skin wound healing

Enhanced cell migration in the course of wound healing is required to repair damaged skin. We investigated the effects of rice callus extracts on the migration of skin keratinocytes. Rice callus extracts were obtained by using three different methods: pressurized hot water, crude ethanol, and liquid-liquid extractions. The extract obtained by using crude ethanol extraction was more effective in the migration of skin cells than that obtained by pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE). The crude ethanol extract (CEE) was further partitioned by performing liquid-liquid extraction. As phenolics are inhibitory compounds affecting cell migration, we analyzed the total phenolic content of the rice callus extracts. The level of phenolics in the n-hexane partitioned extract (n-HPE) of CEE was lower than that in all other partitioned extracts. The n-HPE was most effective in enhancing cell migration. We analyzed wound healingrelated factors including platelet derived growth factor B (PDGF-B), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) after the treatment of n-HPE. Most of the expressions of cell migration-related growth factors increased, but HB-EGF dramatically increased (6.5-fold) in keratinocytes treated with n-HPE. The results indicate that n-HPE contains more stimulating growth factors or proteins and less cell migration inhibiting factors than the other tested extracts; thus, n-HPE treatment produced the greatest enhancement of cell migration.     

Chemical Characterization of Different Extracts from Artemisia annua and Their Antioxidant,Enzyme Inhibitory and Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae Family) is an important plant in Asia that has been used for treating different diseases, including fever due to malaria, wounds, tubercolisis, scabues, pain, convulsions, diabetes, and inflammation. In this study we aimed to evaluate the effects of different polarity extracts (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, ethanol/water (70 %) and water) from A. annua against the burden of inflammation and oxidative stress occurring in colon tissue exposed to LPS. In parallel, chemical composition, antiradical, and enzyme inhibition effects against α-amylase, α-glucosidase, tyrosinase, and cholinesterases were evaluated. The water extract contained the highest content of the total phenolic with 34.59 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g extract, while the hexane had the highest content of the total flavonoid (20.06 mg rutin equivalent (RE)/g extract). In antioxidant assays, the polar extracts (ethanol, ethanol/water and water) exhibited stronger radical scavenging and reducing power abilities when compared to non-polar extracts. The hexane extract showed the best AChE, tyrosinase and glucosidase inhibitory effects. All extracts revealed effective anti-inflammatory agents, as demonstrated by the blunting effects on COX-2 and TNFα gene expression. These effects seemed to be not related to the only phenolic content. However, it is worthy of interest to highlight how the higher potency against LPS-induced gene expression was shown by the water extract ; thus suggesting a potential phytotherapy application in the management of clinical symptoms related to inflammatory colon diseases, although future in vivo studies are needed to confirm such in vitro and ex vivo observations.     

Suppression by Hydrangeae Dulcis Folium of D-galactosamine-induced liver injury in vitro and in vivo

Hydrangeae Dulcis Folium, the fermented and dried leaves of Hydrangea macrophylla SER. var. thunbergii MAKINO, suppressed D-galactosamine-induced liver injury by 85.2% when added to the diet at 1% and fed to rats for fifteen days. The hepatoprotective effect is more potent than that of a milk thistle extract and turmeric powder. Some fractionated extracts showed hepatoprotective activity in the D-galactosamine-induced in vitro liver injury model.     

小桐子提取物除草活性的生物测定

为全面了解小桐子(Jatropha curcas L. )提取物的除草活性,以萝卜(Raphanus sativus L. )、苋(Amaranthus tricolor L. )、苏丹草[Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf]和黑麦草(Lolium perenne L. )为实验材料,对小桐子果壳和枝叶的水、乙醇(体积分数95%)、正丁醇、乙酸乙酯、氯仿和石油醚粗提物的除草活性进行了生物测定,并从中筛选出抑制作用最强的水粗提物进行进一步的活性组分分离及其除草活性的生物测定.测定结果显示,小桐子果壳和枝叶的6种溶剂提取物(10 g·L~(-1))对供试的4种植物幼苗的根长和茎高均有不同程度的抑制作用,其中水粗提物和乙醇(体积分数95%)粗提物的抑制作用较强,且水粗提物对供试的4种植物幼苗的根长和茎高的抑制作用均在75%以上,显著高于其他溶剂粗提物(P<0.05);石油醚粗提物的抑制作用最小,均在10%以下.小桐子果壳和枝叶水粗提物的石油醚、氯仿、乙酸乙酯、正丁醇和水萃取物(10 g·L~(-1))对萝卜和苏丹草幼苗的根长和茎高均有不同程度的抑制作用,其中水、正丁醇和乙酸乙酯萃取物的抑制作用显著高于氯仿和石油醚萃取物,抑制率均在70%以上;水萃取物的抑制作用最强,抑制率均在80%以上;石油醚萃取物的抑制作用最小,抑制率均在10%以下.研究结果表明,小桐子果壳和枝叶的水粗提物具有一定的除草活性,其有效成分为极性较大的组分.     

Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of Plumbago zeylanica L

It has been shown that the presence of infection by Helicobacter pylori is strongly associated with gastric cancer and peptic ulceration. In western medicine, a 3-fold therapeutic regimen, emphasizing the use of antibiotics, is typically used to suppress H. pylori activity. However, antibiotic drug resistance frequently develops as a consequence of such treatment. In our previous study, 50 Taiwanese folk medicinal plants were screened for their anti-H. pylori activities. The results revealed that Plumbago zeylanica L. had the highest inhibitory effects against H. pylori. In this study, therefore, we have focused on establishing the anti-H. pylori activities of P. zeylanica L. Water and the organic solvents ethanol, ethyl acetate and acetone were used for P. zeylanica L. extraction, obtaining yields of 1.66-6.84% (w/w). Excluding the water extract, higher anti-H. pylori activity was demonstrated for all the extracts, both using the agar diffusion and dilution methods. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited the lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations against five H. pylori strains, of which ranged from 0.32 to 1.28 mg ml-1, followed, in ascending order, by the acetone, ethanol and water analogs. Bactericidal activity was determined for P. zeylanica L. extracts, with the lowest minimum bactericidal concentrations (5.12-20.48 mg ml-1) demonstrated for the ethyl acetate, followed, in ascending order, by the acetone and ethanol analogs. Bactericidal activity appeared to be in a dose-dependent manner. Through a broad pH range (2-7), bactericidal activity was not affected when extract concentrations were greater than or equal to the minimum bactericidal concentration. High stability was demonstrated for the ethyl acetate P. zeylanica L. extract within pH range of 1-7, exhibiting all pH treatments bactericidal activity.     

金耳子实体体外抗肿瘤和免疫活性部位的筛选研究

为系统地筛选金耳子实体的活性部位,本论文首次采用系统溶剂法分别用氯仿、乙酸乙酯和乙醇等极性不同的有机溶剂依次提取,残渣风干后再分别用冷水(80℃)、热水(100℃)、3%草酸铵和5%氢氧化钠依次提取,并对各提取物进行了体外抗肿瘤和免疫活性的测试。体外抑制肿瘤细胞增殖模型试验结果表明,氯仿提取物对肿瘤细胞株L1210和SW 620的抑制作用效果最好(P<0.05);小鼠脾淋巴细胞的体外免疫增殖试验结果表明,冷水提取物和热水提提取物的刺激小鼠脾淋巴细胞的增殖活性相当,仅次于氢氧化钠提取物的活性,草酸铵提取物的活性最差(P<0.05)。     

顶羽菊抗氧化活性研究

目的:探讨顶羽菊提取物的抗氧化活性。方法:采用Folin-Ciocaheu法测定顶羽菊水提物和醇提物中的多酚含量,并以芦丁为标准品测定其黄酮含量;通过总还原力测定法、Fenton法、改良的邻苯三酚自氧化法、过氧化脂质测定、亚硝酸盐清除率测定和亚硝胺合成阻断率测定,分别对顶羽菊提取物的总还原力、超氧阴离子自由基和羟自由基清除能力、脂质过氧化抑制作用、清除亚硝酸盐自由基和亚硝胺阻断率进行测定。结果:顶羽菊水提物和醇提物中含有以黄酮类为主要成分的多酚类物质;具有较强的还原性和清除超氧阴离子自由基、羟自由基的活性,且醇提物的作用高于水提物;二者对脂质过氧化的抑制率达47%以上;顶羽菊提取物具有较强的清除亚硝酸钠和阻断亚硝胺合成的能力,水提物对亚硝酸盐的最大清除率为60.4%,醇提物对亚硝胺合成的阻断率为86.6%。结论:顶羽菊醇提物可作为抗氧化剂和防癌剂,用于清除机体内自由基、抗脂质氧化、延缓机体衰老、预防心血管系统疾病和癌症的发生。     

Effect of Piper betle L. and its extracts on the growth and aflatoxin production by Aspergillus parasiticus

Ground powder of the leaf and fruit of Piper betle L., a tropical spice plant grown in Southeast Asia, was prepared and extracted by chloroform, ethanol and water with one solvent only or with 3 solvents in sequence. The betel powder and various extracts were added to YES broth to determine their effects on the growth and aflatoxin production by Aspergillus parasiticus. Results showed that betel leaf powder exhibited higher antimycotic activity than fruit. One half percent of ground leaf powder completely inhibited the growth and aflatoxin production by A. parasiticus. Among the solvent extracts, chloroform and ethanol extracts of betel leaf prepared from a single solvent extraction showed more antimycotic activity. The ethanol extract of betel leaf at the level of 450 micrograms/ml would eliminate A. parasiticus growth and aflatoxin production. The antimycotic activity of this ethanol extract was most pronounced at pH 4.     

Irrigation of Solanum lycopersicum L. with magnetically treated water increases antioxidant properties of its tomato fruits

Antioxidant effects of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) have been studied and an association between dietary intake of tomatoes and lowered risk of cancer, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular diseases has been suggested. Here we used magnetically treated water (MTW; 0.03–0.15 T), which promotes better germination and productivity in tomatoes, and we investigated the effects of aqueous and ethanolic (10–400 μg/ml) extracts of S. lycopersicum as potential antioxidant against 10 μM Fe(II)-induced thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) in liver and brain homogenates from rats. The ethanolic extracts from magnetically treated plants were more effective than aqueous extracts in preventing TBARS formation in brain and liver. The protective effects of ethanolic extract can be associated with antioxidants (polyphenols and flavonoids), lycopene and other lipophilic components found in the extract. In effect, magnetically treated plants had higher content of polyphenolic and flavonoid compounds than nontreated plants and they can be a better source of antioxidants than nontreated plants. Consequently, MTW can be used to produce functional foods with high contents of antioxidant components and may have better beneficial health effects than traditionally produced foods.     

Suppression of ethanol and lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury by extracts of Hydrangeae Dulcis Folium in rats

In female SD rats that were injected with 4 g/kg BW ethanol p.o. followed by a 5 mg/kg BW lipopolysaccharide (LPS) i.v. injection, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminases (GPT) activity increased to about eight times that of normal rats. In this model, rats that had been fed a diet containing 1% Hydrangeae Dulcis Folium (HDF) extracts for fifteen days showed significantly lower serum GPT activity (380.0+/-58.2 IU/l) than the control group (3527.0+/-774.1 IU/l). HDF's efficacy was far superior to milk thistle in this model (2950.0+/-915.9 IU/l). When mouse macrophages were treated with HDF extracts at 50 microg/ml, TNF-alpha production induced by LPS was suppressed to about 10% of the control. Rat serum TNF-alpha levels induced by LPS was decreased to 58.7% of the control by administering 1000 mg/kg BW HDF extract p.o. These results indicate that HDF prevents alcohol-induced liver injury through the inhibition of TNF-alpha production.     

Selective extraction of Cyclopia for enhanced in vitro phytoestrogenicity and benchmarking against commercial phytoestrogen extracts

Previous work established the phytoestrogenicity of "unfermented"Cyclopia (honeybush) extracts. The current study investigated the phytoestrogenicity of four Cyclopia harvestings (M6-9) for preparation of extracts with enhanced phytoestrogenicity for benchmarking against commercial preparations. Two extracts, from M6 (C. subternata) and M7 (C. genistoides), were identified as most phytoestrogenic using estrogen receptor binding, an estrogen receptor response element containing promoter reporter assay, alkaline phosphatase activity, and E-screen. M6 and M7 were sequentially and non-sequentially extracted with five solvents of differing polarities. Additionally, two extracts were prepared in the traditional way of preparing a cup of honeybush tea. The resultant 22 extracts were evaluated for estrogenicity. Select extracts were analysed by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The sequentially extracted M6 methanol extract (SM6Met) had the highest potency and the sequentially extracted M6 ethyl acetate extract (SM6EAc) had the highest efficacy of all the extracts. The HPLC results suggested enrichment of luteolin in SM6EAc and enrichment of an unidentified polyphenol in SM6Met. Benchmarking against four commercial phytoestrogenic preparations suggest that in terms of the assays used, Cyclopia extracts have comparable potency and efficacy to the commercial extracts and thus have potential as marketable phytoestrogenic nutraceuticals.     

Antioxidative effect of Iranian Pulicaria gnaphalodes L. extracts in soybean oil

This study was aimed to evaluate antioxidative activities of the ethanol, methanol and water extracts of Pulicaria gnaphalodes in vegetable oil during the storage period. Different concentrations (0, 200, 400 and 800 ppm) of ethanol, methanol and water extracts and beta-hydroxy toluene (BHT; 100, 200 ppm) were added to soybean oil and incubated for 35 days at 65 °C. Peroxide values (PVs) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) levels were measured every week during the period of the study. Moreover, antioxidant capacities of the extracts were determined using DPPH and β-carotene–linoleic acid methods. Values were compared among groups in each incubation time points using ANOVA. Results showed that DPPH and β-carotene–linoleic acid assay findings on the P. gnaphalodes extracts were comparable to those found on BHT. Moreover, during incubation time, P. gnaphalodes extracts lowered PVs and TBARS levels when compared to the control (p < 0.001). In this respect, water extract was more potent than the ethanol and methanol extracts. It seems that water extract of P. gnaphalodes is a potent antioxidant which makes it as a potential antioxidant for oil and oily products during storage.     

Isolation of plasma membrane glycoprotein from bovine thymocytes

Glycoprotein was isolated from a purified thymocyte membrane preparation by two methods: lithium diiodosalicylate-phenol extraction and hot 75% ethanol extraction. A higher yield of membrane sialic acid was obtained by the latter method. The preparations had similar apparent molecular weights on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Both had similar receptor activities against a panel of hemagglutinins, although the 75% ethanol extract was more active on a weight basis. However, there were significant differences in carbohydrate and amino acid compositions of the two thymocyte extracts. The lithium diiodosalicylate-extracted material had much more glucose, ribose, and glycine than the ethanol extract. The glycoprotein preparations from thymocytes were quite distinct from the glycoprotein of bovine erythrocytes in both composition and receptor properties.     

蒲公英抗肿瘤活性部位的GC-MS分析研究

目的：考察蒲公英提取物对MCF-7增殖作用的影响,研究蒲公英抗肿瘤活性部位的化学成分。方法：采用MTT法比较蒲公英水提物、醇提物和不同极性提取物对MCF-7增殖的影响;以气相色谱．质谱（GC-MS）联用技术对具有抑制MCF-7人乳腺癌细胞增殖的部位进行分离和鉴定。结果：蒲公英水提物和醇提物对MCF-7细胞均有抑制作用,体外最大抑制率分别达到92．95％、93．59％,蒲公英不同极性溶剂提取物中,氯仿部位抑制MCF-7的增殖,且抑制作用高于醇提和水提物,乙酸乙酯和石油醚部位促进MCF-7的增殖。从蒲公英氯仿提取物中鉴定出80种化合物,占其总量的98．07％。结论：蒲公英氯仿部位具有抗肿瘤活性,为蒲公英抗肿瘤活性成分的研究提供了依据,拓展了筛选中药活性成分的方法。